The Pharmacist of Auschwitz

The Untold Story

By: Patricia Posner

Narrated by: Julian Elfer

Length: 6 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's summary

The Pharmacist of Auschwitz is the little-known story of Victor Capesius, a Bayer pharmaceutical salesman from Romania, who, at the age of 35, joined the Nazi SS in 1943 and quickly became the chief pharmacist at the largest death camp, Auschwitz. Based in part on previously classified documents, Patricia Posner exposes Capesius' reign of terror at the camp, his escape from justice, and how a handful of courageous survivors and a single brave prosecutor finally brought him to trial for murder 20 years after the end of the war.

The Pharmacist of Auschwitz is much more, though, than a personal account of Capesius. It provides a spellbinding glimpse inside the devil's pact made between the Nazis and Germany's largest conglomerate, IG Farben, and its Bayer pharmaceutical subsidiary. The story is one of murder and greed, with its roots in the dark heart of the Holocaust.

Set against a backdrop ranging from Hitler's war to conquer Europe to the Final Solution, to postwar Germany's tormented efforts to confront its dark past, Posner shows the appalling depths to which ordinary men descend when they are unrestrained by conscience or any sense of morality.

Contains mature themes.

©2017 Patricia Posner (P)2017 Tantor

Critic reviews

"A gruesome story eloquently told." ( Kirkus)

Excruciatingly painful truths...

The book was clearly well researched and fact checked and very intriguing to listen to and try to process the unthinkable acts of evil performed by the doctor and the Nazi's in general. Heartbreaking but a great book.

Very good

This was an awesome book. It sheds light on the horrors that happened. I wish it focused more on the pharmacist

Loved this book

A wonderful story about how an “ordinary “ man was capable of horrendous acts. It completes in my mind how so many aided and abetted the horrific Nazi murder factories. Excellent narrator also.

A must read

The author reminds us that many ordinary people were involved in carrying out the Final Solution. Additionally the author ties together the role of IG Farben, a German chemical and pharmaceutical conglomerate, and their direct involvement. From a listener's perspective, the narrator, Julian Elfer, is easily to listen to.

Amazing in the new revelations.

I recommend this book very much. Not only it is informative but also very gripping and well written. The narrator elevates this account to a gripping testimony of the atrocities committed in Auschwitz and the long and unfair complications of the legal system.

Excellent factual and compelling overview

This book highlights the story of Aushwitz from multiple perspectives both what led up it, during, and the aftermath it left. I know someone else left a review saying how they were not easily offended by graphic details about children - let me tell you that person is flat out LYING about their sensitivity level, because this book remained factual, professional and went into ZERO gory details regarding children at any time. It kept to the facts and did not dramatize or embellish in any way these events. Whoever wrote that simply did not like the mention of the facts that there were kids murdered as well as adults but I am sorry-if you are reading or listening to the true factual accounts of what happened during the HOLOCAUST and in particular places classified as both labor and DEATH camps- that is kind of unavoidable pretty much by definition.

To say it offended them to be mentioned is to say they want to pretend it didn't happen to kids and forget the child victims and never mention them again-and that is a HUGE injustice to those who lost their lives in such places. I recommend that person go back to their light fantasy or romance novels because they obviously cannot handle reality and are doing more harm with that totally untrue review than good.

Summary: If you also have trouble handling factual details that are dark or disturbing-skip this and any other holocaust books because you won't like what you read/hear.

If however you have a logical mind and want to learn and hear out the survivors and NOT forget them or what was done-then please do give this a listen. It is an excellent choice for anyone be they beginner or well learned in regards to WWII and the Holocaust history as it gives various perspectives and focuses on lesser known yet just as real figures from all sides including the lead up to WWII, during, and after these events. The narration is steady and the audio is clear. it gives facts but does so in a way that remains compelling and tells it how it was with nothing else needed to make it a stand out piece for those who have an interest in this sort of history.

Disgusting man with no morals.

I can't believe how many Nazis got to live there lives after all they did. Especially Capesius, his derangement lead him to think at the end of his life he was innocent after sentencing friends and neighbors to their death. I'd be ashamed if I was his relative. There was no justice for Jews.

Information I had been unaware of.

Current generations right now with the actual horrors of the holocaust were. They need to know so perhaps it can be prevented from happening again.

Gripping!

Fascinating listen. I have listened at least twice. This man is as much a monster as the trial jurors thought and more. Worth the Credit

Fascinating

Over and above the compelling yet terrible story about the pharmacist, I was captivated by the particulars of how things were run the camps, the details of the subsequent the trials and the behaviour of the defendants etc

The book was gripping, well written, never got dry for me and was easy to read despite the difficult subject matter.